Summary
- Skyrim has an incredible amount of content, but certain mechanics aren't even worth the time to engage with.
- Certain mechanics are helpful for roleplaying purposes, but provide no tangible benefit to gameplay.
- Other mechanics, including certain skill trees, serve a purpose better achieved by other means in the game.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is a game of freedom, with the power to choose any path and for each Dragonborn to be whatever they wish. However, such freedom and choice means that there will be some game mechanics that will be outright ignored by some. Whether it's because the mechanic is broken, boring, or because it serves no function outside a very specific set of circumstances, there are some Skyrim game mechanics that will be avoided by Dragonborns of all kinds.
For a game that is over 12 years old, Skyrim still has an active community still making rare discoveries even in 2023. However, given that so much of the game has been explored and tested to its very limits, it should come as no surprise that there are certain mechanics that almost everyone avoids. From crafting mechanics to skill trees and combat, no Dragonborn will be missing out if they avoid these Skyrim game mechanics.
10 Poisoning Weapons
Poisons Wear Off Quickly
Poisons in Skyrim are often overlooked, but that's not necessarily to the player's detriment – the effects are not always worth the effort. While poisons can be useful in the right circumstances or play style, they wear off quickly, needing to be reapplied to the weapon being used after each hit. This makes them become very tedious very quickly, so outside specific encounters, players shouldn't bother applying poison to their weapons.
9 Spell Scrolls
Valuable Loot
Spell scrolls can be found throughout Skyrim, covering every level from the most mundane spells to higher-level, powerful magic. However, beyond some of the stronger, high-level scrolls, these magical items tend not to have much utility, and instead should just be sold to turn a tidy profit. Given the choice between earning gold to buy the spell tome to learn the spell permanently or hoarding a pile of one-use scrolls, the former is usually the right choice.
Companions, however, will use scrolls if they are given them to carry in their inventories. This can have mixed results depending on the scrolls they have been given, as the companion AI isn’t the most sophisticated when it comes to avoiding friendly fire.
8 Cooking Food
Only Useful In Survival Mode
Cooking has been in Skyrim since it was first released, but apart from those who may play in Survival Mode, the mechanic is all but useless. While there are some nice buffs from eating cooked food, they are far sured by those gained from magic, alchemy, or equipment. Because of this, gathering the ingredients, figuring out what Skyrim make what, and then spending the time standing and cooking is just too much effort for too little reward.
7 The Lunar Forge
Creates Weapons That Burn Enemies At Night
The Lunar Forge is one of two unique forges in Skyrim, and can be found inside the Silent Moons Camp northwest of Whiterun. With the Lunar Forge, the Dragonborn can craft magic weapons which will carry a special enchantment and deal extra damage, but only if Nirn's two moons are out. In fact, the forge itself will only perform its magical function under direct moonlight. This may nullify the usefulness of the Lunar Forge completely, as although the extra damage is good, the circumstances needed are too specific.
6 The Atronach Forge
Creates Hostile Atronachs
The second unique forge in Skyrim is the Atronach Forge, found under the College of Winterhold deep within the Midden. Using this forge, the Dragonborn can combine different ingredients to summon different elemental atronachs such as Flame, Storm or even a Dremora. However, unlike the Atronach Altar in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, these creatures will be immediately hostile and not serve as useful followers. Seemingly the only useful aspect of the Atronach Forge is that it can also be used to conjure fire salts, which are needed for the quest "Stoking the Flames," otherwise the forge offers too little in exchange for the resources it requires.
5 Traveling By Horse
Easier To Walk Or Fast Travel
When traveling the vast open world of Skyrim, it might make sense for some to save up their gold and buy a horse to get where they need to go quicker. However, the unfortunate reality of owning a horse in Skyrim is very different. Firstly, they are not much quicker than traveling on foot, and plants, items, and enemies can be quickly dealt with without having to dismount then remount every few minutes. Horses also have a nasty habit of ing in any fights as well, and there is a very good chance they will die quickly, meaning all the gold will have been wasted.
Horses also count as witnesses to crimes such as murder and any thievery, so any criminally inclined Dragonborn will definitely need to keep this in mind.
4 Adoption And Marriage
Only Helpful For Roleplay
Adoption and marriage are two mechanics in Skyrim which sound nice, but the reality is that they are pretty boring. While settling down with a spouse and adopting a couple of kids works fine for roleplaying purposes, it serves no real function in the game. Children will give gifts to the Dragonborn when they are visiting, but otherwise have no meaningful interactions and do not age. Likewise, spouses will give gold and food, but there is no intimacy or in-game benefit to getting married beyond a 15% skill learning buff when sleeping next to them.
3 Lockpicking Skill Tree
Only A Couple Decent Perks
Lockpicking is a pretty important skill in Skyrim, helping the Dragonborn gain access to areas and open chests. However, the Lockpicking skill tree is almost pointless, as once someone becomes familiar with the lockpicking minigame, then any lock can be picked with enough patience and lockpicks. Any benefits offered by the skill tree are far sured by enchantments that can be placed on gear or even potions that can be bought or brewed.
2 Magical Spiders
Temporary Companions In The Dragonborn DLC
With the Dragonborn DLC, Skyrim returns to the island of Solstheim to halt the plans of a previous Dragonborn, Miraak. As part of this DLC, the Dragonborn can stumble across some experiments being performed on local spiders, imbuing the creatures with magical properties. The Imbuing Chamber offers various choices such as jumping, exploding, or cloaked spiders, but all are totally pointless. The spiders don't deal out any significant damage, making them useless in a fight, since Solstheim is a high-level area.
1 Fishing
Shallow Minigame
Fishing was introduced to Skyrim as part of the Anniversary Edition, and it is quite possibly one of the most boring game mechanics in any Elder Scrolls game. Dragonborn are meant to go to one of the many predesignated fishing locations in the province and interact with the fishing supplies there. Fishing itself takes no skill and is simply a case of waiting until the game tells the Dragonborn there is a fish on the line before reeling it in. Just as with the cooking skill, beyond survival mode or really wanting to fill an aquarium, fishing is a mechanic in Skyrim that can just be ignored.
